Pillboxes along the Thames

[night crawler]

Hi again just an update. Remember a while back I took a photo of a island near Goring where I sad there was a pillbox hidden, well I can confirm it is still there.

The Island you can see from the road. I passed it on bus when going to school in Reading back in the 1960's, the pillbox was clearly visible. now this is what you see.

Outline of the pillbox

One of the side as you can see getting covered in ivy

And finaly some steps leading to the doorway and more ivy. I did get permission to go down and getthe photo's though at one stage I wandered on to some one else's land. The next stage will be to go along the Thames path again and hope the leaves had gone from the willow's so I can get another shot.
One more to check out yet but I don't hold out a lot of hope on it.

 

[mexico75]

Is that near Goring? As me and some friends canoed out to an island on the Thames round there and camped out in the pillbox. If not theres another pillbox island.

 

[mexico75]

Ignore me just actually bothered reading what you'd written d'oh

 

[cptpies]

According to the DoB there's supposed to be a 6pdr gun emplacement on this island too. It's categorized as Extant but condition unknown which usually equates to demolished, but since the PB is still there, there is no reason that the emplacement shouldn't be too. Any sign of it NC? I'm sure you would have mentioned it if there was but it never hurts to ask. Do you remember seeing anything Mexico?

 

[mexico75]

Do you remember seeing anything Mexico?

Not really mate it was about 18 years ago, I do remember at either end there where what looked like trenches made out of sandbags that had been filled with concrete and the remains of a little jetty type thing.

 

[night crawler]

To get one of the photo's I have to sneek on to some one else's river frontage but from memory I don't think there is but I will have another look from the other side of the river in the near future. A guy I know who has a boat moored up at Heartslock Island further up and said there was a second either half built or gun emplacement on it. He has photo's so I'll see if I can look.
Just to let you know I counted up 45 Pillboxes along the section I have done here. There are a few more according to the DOB but they have been demolished of I have not found them

 

[cptpies]

NC & Mexico, from what you both describe that sounds like the emplacement in question. It's probably a sandbag lined gun pit rather than a pillbox. Thanks for the info.

 

[night crawler]

Number 46 just when I though I had got them all I find out about another one I missed near where I live, not only that I think I know where another is now. Any way here is the second one near Benson lock

This is how you see the pillbox as you walk up to it from teh field

Well camouflaged now

Entrance nearly overgrown

Inside main chamber

Looking out the main loophole

Another shot of the main loophole

Last one looking along the river towards the pillbox which is by the overhanging ivy.
No doubt there will be more to come though I cant believe there are many left round here

 

[cptpies]

Good find NC is this the one in the DoB thats not visible in GE?

 

[night crawler]

Yes it is. It's on the edge of the field an a wooded area and from GE it looks like woodland, even looking up from the lock you would not know it.

 

[Philip]

This has been areally intrsestig post.Will the book be out in time for Chritmas?

 

[night crawler]

Thought about making a blog but not sure where to start
I have now added a couple of photo's to my Panoramio link and if you look closely you can see a diamond shaped area, that's it

 

[cptpies]

Well you've inspired me to have a crack at the stop line I live on. Horsham - Uckfield. It's mostly Coffins and other AT obstacles but there are a number of 28s and 24s on it.

 

[night crawler]

Here we go again. I guy I work with took the next few photo's for me when he moored his boat up on Heartslock Island

View of the gun emplacement from the river

Emplacement from the island

This would have been the pillbox but looks to have been half done and left after pouring the base.

Another view of the pillbox base.

Part of the base has broken away in this photo due to erosion and shrub growth

Well that now makes number 48 so will there be a number 49 the way things have been
going I would not be surprised if there is. I still have to see if I can get a photo of the emplacement on Gatehampton bridge I have seen it but it takes a bit of getting to with out going on the railway

 

[cptpies]

Thanks for the pics NC.

I agree this looks like the base of a pillbox that was never completed and has been misinterpreted as a gun emplacement. I could believe it if there was evidence of a holdfast but there doesn't seem to be.

 

[night crawler]

Yet another productive weekend managed to get a photo of the one near goring and found one just down from Goring Bridge which makes number 49

One on the Island up from Goring that I took from the other side a couple of weeks ago. These willows used to be polarded once but now hide the pillbox along with the ivy.

Wider shot showing the outline.

Just down from Goring bridge the distinct outline of a pillbox

Closer view, I'm confident there is a pillbox under the undergrowth and it looks as though some concrete is showing through. Getting a closer look will be hard as it is on some ones property and it is contacting them is a problem.
I might add that after sorting it out to load onto Panaramio I noticed the out line can be seen in Google earth

 

[fluffy5518]

Nice one Mr Crawler !!!
Is there not a pillbox up n down the length of the Thames that is safe from your prying eyes !!!

 

[night crawler]

Well guy's I wrote a small artical about the pillboxes along a section of the Thames near where I live for the Village Magazine. Some one told a producer at BBC Radio Oxford so now I'm doing a radio interview on the 5 Jan 2010. What have I let myself infor

 

[cptpies]

Great stuff NC. Any extra awareness of pillboxes is a good thing.